Santorum: Obama's education stance is 'snobbery'
Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) - Rick Santorum called President Barack Obama's education goals an agenda of "hubris" on Saturday, saying he is "outraged" that the president thinks "every child in America should go to college."
"The hubris of this president to think that he knows what's best for you [...] This is the kind of snobbery that we see from those that think they know how to run our lives," the former Pennsylvania senator said in a forum at St. Anselm's New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
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Obama has repeatedly said he wants the United States to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Earlier this year, while announcing plans to reform "No Child Left Behind," Obama also said he intends for every student to graduate "career and college ready."
But Santorum, whose children's education includes home-schooling, argued that not everyone is suited for a college education.
"I have seven kids. Maybe they'll all go to college. But if one of my kids wants to go and be an auto mechanic, good for him, that's a good paying job, using your hands, using your mind," he said.
Santorum calls for the federal government to have a "very limited" role in education, advocating for "flexible and personalized approaches to education for each child to best maximize their potential."
"We are leaving so many children behind because they're not ready to go to college - they don't want to go to college, they don't need to go to college," Santorum said Saturday.
CNN's Ashley Killough and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report.
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This man is an idiot.
At least he think every child, Rick Santorium every republican child or rich child should go to college.
I'm not sure what he's complaining about other than he's complaining about Obama. Not every child will go to college no matter what anyone says or wants. What's wrong with aspiring for children to want to get more education? I agree that not every child is suited for college. Being an auto mechanic is certainly fine and we need well trained people in that field. But to call Obama names is just more political baloney. He should find something real to talk about like, why does he think not all Americans deserve to have access to high quality health care?
There's no other way to put it. You can't teach this kind of stupid.
This coming from a guy who wants to tell couples what they can and can't do in the privacy of their own bedroom
Hypocritical jerk.
He's right! Obama should instead encourage kids to seek day labor jobs to take back America's fields and Toilets and backyard clippings from the illegals! Then we can really compete with the world!
Of course Mr. Santorum wouldn't want everyone to go to college. What on earth would the Republican party with a shortage of uneducated minions?!
Yes Rick. We understand you. Only republican kids should get to go to college.
Can't believe what an idiot Santorum is. The U.S. used to be one of the ranking countries for college educated people and has dropped steadily over the years. Whats wrong with a President who thinks young people should be well educated. All the stats show the U.S. education system is failing . Really scary to think that people like Santorum think they are fit to be President and even scarier that people support him.
Yeah, how foolish to strive for an educated country. I guess that would curtail republican political victories in the future because there wouldn't be enough rubes to fall for their hooey.
Does Mr. Santorum realize that it's 2012 and that we're dealing with a global economy? It doesn't appear so. The best educated and most highly skilled country will win in the contest of surviving and thriving nations.
Mr. Santorum is promoting mediocrity – as a country, we're better than that – we have to be.
Keep talking Mr. Santorum, I hope you win the nomination – it makes an Obama reelection inevitable.
Wait a minute – he has an issue with President Obama wanting every child to go to college and he says "This is the kind of snobbery that we see from those that think they know how to run our lives,"???
Isn't this the man that wants to make all of his decisions based on the law of HIS GOD regardless of whether anyone else believes in his God or whether they believe in another God or no God!
This comment is as stupid as his comment about Social Security being in trouble because of all the babies that have been aborted!
Anyone and I mean anyone who supports this GUY – here is a tip – GO GET COUNSELING because you shouldn't be out in the world among the rest of the population!
Santorum is "outraged" that the president thinks "every child in America should go to college." Really? Republicans, it is time to go to the next anti-Romney. Unfortunately for Republicans, unless they choose Huntsman, there is no one left.
The last thing any Democrat wants is for poor Americans to become middle class. Once those poor people have to give up their hard earned money to the lib-a-libs, they then vote Republican.
Same goes for morals, values, decency, integrity, and wishing the best for all Americans, those people who have these and hold views that support them simply cannot ever vote Democrat, Democrats are morally opposed to Americans who work hard, and value the lives of their fellow Americans.
Just read the comments from Democrats here at CNN, if that is not enough then by all means I suggest you spend a week in an ultra blue part of America. Observe the actions of the Democrats on the roads, they have a total disregard for human life and are engaged in a selfishness and narcissism that no moderate or conservative American is capable of.
Oh, I see. Now having an education is being a 'snob'. Says the dumbest piece of crap to spew out of PA.
I guess having an education must seem 'snobby' to a dimwit.
Someone tell me he is not serious! PLEASE!
Santorum you will never be president you sound like a racist. President Obama is much qualify being president then you are so please stop making stupid comments.
Has this guy ever heard of Wyotech? Even auto mechanics go to college.
"This is the kind of snobbery that we see from those that think they know how to run our lives," Santorum says. Yeh, well you want to tell people whom they can and cannot marry, that people should pray in public schools, Christian law should be the law of the land, etc. Hypocrite!
Just what is your idea Ricky? Anyone who would take a dead fetus home to their children is not mentally stable. This comment is just too silly to even take seriously. It is beyond ridicilous.
Santorum believes that gays should not serve in our military would reverse the new law, believes the soul enters the cell at conception, so every doctor knows those cells don't always attach to uterus wall and grow, or fail to grow and die....Even the Catholic Church believes the fetus becomes a person with a soul when it breaths it's first breath...Santorum also believes only the believers will go to heaven so in his mind most of us are already dammed to hell....
sainty, you are really stupid. Home schooled kids don't get the same type of education regardless of who is teaching them. Yes, remind us again how you have over populated the Earth again!!
The US has fallen behind every other country in the world, including some that we perceive as third world countries, when it comes to education.
Yes, leave education to states like Texas who are rewriting the history of the US as we speak. Not everyone has to go to college but everyone should have a good education if they want it. Even mechanics need to read to fix your car.
hmmm does he fail to realize he was raised by a poor single mother on food stamps. Obama belives all kids should have the chances he did to grab onto the economic and educational ladders and climb on up. I have never seen a better example of american exceptionalism than in president Obama.
The method used to control slaves was to keep them uneducated. This same process has been repeated by dictators. It sounds like Santorum would like to keep most Americans in that same position.
And Santorum's mission to establish the United States as a Christian nation where our laws are based on God's law (a God I don't believe in and never will) ISN'T snobbery? The hubris of this presidential candidate who thinks he knows what is best for me...